In their other lives, UFC stars Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans suit up and become television analysts for Fuel TV. It was in this role Saturday night that Chael Sonnen experienced the latest negative consequence of his mouth writing a check his…well, in this case I guess it was a check that Dan Henderson’s ass couldn’t cash.

Before UFC 157, Sonnen the analyst said that he’d lick Rashad Evans’ shoe if his long-time Team Quest training partner Henderson lost to Lyoto Machida in their featured bout Saturday night. After Machida won a split decision over Henderson Chael made good on his promise and made sweet mouth love to Evans’ shoe.

Yes, that was a needlessly disgusting sentence and this post is somewhat pointless in the grand scheme of Saturday’s historic event. But you’re a damn liar if you’re telling me you didn’t press ‘play’ on the video above to watch ‘The American Bad Ass’ French kiss Rashad’s boot once you read the headline.

In related news, Henderson isn’t surprised that one of the judges managed to somehow think he won the fight against Machida, he’s apparently upset that all three didn’t.

“I won the fight, but not officially. I hit him whenever he wanted to fight. He ran away most of the time,” Hendo said at the UFC 157 post fight press conference.

Listen, the fight was close-fought and the judges had to pay attention but there is no question that Machida landed the harder shots and more often, mostly thwarted Hendo’s wrestling while doing more with his own offensive wrestling and ground work than the former two-division champ did. Yes, Machida made Henderson whiff with many of his leaping over hand rights and left hooks but I’d hardly call that “running.”

Was Henderson surprised that his opponent would try to strategically stay out of range until he was ready to throw his own shots? Had he seen Lyoto Machida fight before?

In any case, Henderson gets the right to complain about this decision (and perhaps everything else he complains about, ie. losing title shots that he himself voluntarily gave up, Anderson Silva ‘ducking’ him even though ‘The Spider’ smoked him in under two rounds, Jon Jones existing, etc.) when he admits that he was lucky to get decisions in some of his biggest career fights. Go ahead, re-watch his all-time great fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua that made him the #1 Contender, his split decision win over Yuki Kondo and his title fight against Murilo Bustamante.

The honest truth is that Dan Henderson is one of this writer’s favorite fighters and one of the best and most fearless competitors in the sport’s history. This is why it hurts so much to hear him veer into Matt Hughes smack-talking, excuse-making territory more and more often.

Suck it up, get back to the drawing board and do what you do best, Dan – kick ass. Don’t let Chael Sonnen’s shoe licking have happened in vain.

Cagepotato Comments

Showing 1-25 of comments

Didn't see the fights(wanted to but went to some amateur fights)but it doesn't suprise me that Hendo's pissed Machida ran in route to a decision win, as Lyoto has a way of doing that to heavy handed yet slower opponents. Just a bad matchup for Dan.

Morgan Chiller- February 25, 2013 at 11:04 am

I felt Machida "won" all 3 rounds, but that performance should not lead to a title shot. Machida had no intention on finishing that fight from the moment he entered the cage, Hendo is too old and slow to cut the ring off and Machida new that going in, have Machida fight Rashad Evans again and a new record for least amount of strikes thrown in a 3 round fight could be set.

SteelKilroy- February 25, 2013 at 2:19 am

Ohhh WHY, Dan, WHYYYY? You've gotta resist all that media-fodder complaining. Come on man, get yourself together and back to #1 contender...I would truly LOVE for you to fulfill the "Three different belts" goal, and God Bless...

cman- February 24, 2013 at 8:27 pm

Hendo is starting to lose my respect. 'Its no fair he didn't stand still and let me put his head in the 4th row'.
Sad seeing a legend end his career squawking.

rudedude- February 24, 2013 at 8:23 pm

Hendo tried to make it a fight and took a coupl punches in the proses giving machida the decision but when a fighter runs backwards every time the opponent try's to engage they should get docked points its equivalent to when a boxer keeps hugging his opponent and bores the fans to death they get a warning then a point taken away. Remember we are here to see a fight not a game of fucking chest

Clue-by-Four- February 25, 2013 at 12:54 am

English, motherfucker. Do you speak it?!

mookiestick- February 24, 2013 at 6:41 pm

I personally thought Dan, got a break and got a split decision. I felt that Machida won all three rounds. People may not like Machida's style but it is economical and he absorbs hardly any damage at all. I for one think he's a very cerebral fighter. I like watching him fight. He takes a very intelligent approach to fighting, especially when you're facing someone who has sledgehammers attaached to his shoulders. You could see Machida was looking for the knock out. He was trying to lure and bait Henderson but the knockout just wasn't there. I guess you always don't get the opportunity to knock your opponent out.

Clue-by-Four- February 24, 2013 at 5:46 pm

Be nice to Kalib Machida. He wasn't running, he was being "elusive"...

Thumblaster- February 24, 2013 at 5:14 pm

Wish hendo won, glad I did'nt waste my money on this ppv, waiting for 158. If I could pay for the next fuel card I would but stupid comcast does'nt carry fuel in baltimore county. War wanderlai.

beef_kurtains- February 24, 2013 at 5:12 pm

Lulz @ Elias. First, Machida is a runner (I don't say that in the "let in bleed" sense), I say that in the smart carlos condit sense. He's "elusive", he "runs"), the guy doesn't like to bang. That's his game, he avoids contact until he's ready to throw a jab and then separate. Label it what you want, but that doesn't change what it is...bud.

Secondly, Anderson didn't "Smoke" hendo in the first fight. Hendo actually won the first round before Silva dropped the triangle.

Clowns will be clowns.

Alan K- February 24, 2013 at 4:50 pm

Sorry Dan. The Nick Diaz Excuse ain't gonna work for you.

Mr_Misanthropy- February 24, 2013 at 4:20 pm

If you put peanut butter on it Chael will lick just about anything.

danomite- February 24, 2013 at 4:16 pm

also, a lot of lyoto's kicks to the head and body that rogan was creaming about were absorbed by Henderson's arm. He doesn't keep that hand cocked by his ear just for looks.

danomite- February 24, 2013 at 4:13 pm

Lyoto did do a lot of running in that fight. He still won, but he did do a lot of backpedaling. He usually counters a lot more than he did last night. I think he was really worried about the overhand right. He probably didn't want the fight to end up the way his second fight with Rua did. In summation, and in Coneclusion, evading + counters = good striking; evading - counters = running.